Donovan decision imminent

Barring something shocking, Jim Donovan was to be announced as University of Hawaii athletic director either this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

The UH Board of Regents was scheduled to meet at Honolulu Community College, and one of the agenda items is the recommendation of Donovan by UH Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.

Hinshaw and Donovan acknowledged the recommendation last week. Other than that, Donovan has deferred comment until the BOR meetings.

Board approval is almost always merely a formality.

"I'd be really surprised if he's not approved," said Hugh Yoshida, who was UH athletic director when Donovan was associate AD from 1993 to 2002. "Normally support coming from the chancellor means it's 99 and nine/10ths percent that it's approved, and Jim was the chancellor's choice."

Donovan was also the recommendation of a search committee that interviewed him and four other candidates.

Yoshida said yesterday he thinks Donovan is a solid selection.

"Having worked with Jim, I know he's well-versed in all areas of the department," Yoshida said. "He's very aware of the issues and well-versed in who to talk to to get things resolved. Always inclusive in his decision-making."

Donovan, 48, is a former UH football player who has been executive director of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl since 2002. He applied for AD when Yoshida retired earlier that year, but Herman Frazier got the job.

UH dismissed Frazier from the position in January. Carl Clapp has served since as acting and then interim AD. It is expected Clapp, who applied for the permanent post, will stay on in the UH athletic department for at least six months.